Method and apparatus for cleaning cotton



March 7, 1967 BRYAN, JR 7 3,307,227

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CLEANING COTTON Filed April 19, 1965 ATTORNEYSl; 4 i 5% s a Q 5 0 3 Q i m E I :1? w Q t% INVENTOR. 1 3 m Mar/"13 M5W6, J)"

v BY g @g m v \r mag, @mjz/ United States Patent Ofiice 3,337,227Patented Mar. 7, 1967 3,307,227 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CLEANING COTTONMorris M. Bryan, Jr., Jefferson, Ga., assignor to The Jefferson Mills,Inc., Jeflferson, Ga., a corporation of Georgia Filed Apr. 19, 1965,Ser. No. 449,118 Claims. (Cl. 19-200) This invention relates to a methodand apparatus for cleaning cotton fibers, and is more particularlyrelated to a method and apparatus for simultaneously vibrating anddrawing out a web of cotton fibers as an intermediate step in a cottontreating process to remove dirt and undesirable short fibers from themass of cotton and orient the fibers.

Heretofore, expensive cleaning machines have been utilized before thecotton is fed to a carding machine. These previous cleaning machineshave consisted of various forms of beaters, jets of air, cylindricalspikes, grid bars, etc. All of these machines have tried to tear upcotton into small bits and clean the small bits; and, they didaccomplish some cleaning, but only to a small extent as compared to thepresent invention since they were attempting to remove trash from cottonfiber aggregates. None of the previous machines have disentangled thecotton fibers to separate the fibers until the fibers are passed througha carding machine.

Thus, no existing methods of processing cotton provide for intentionalcleaning of fibers after a web is formed. While the crush roll (Crosro'lVarga) crushes dirt so that it may fall out in subsequent processes suchas drawing, roving, spinning, winding and weaving, it does'not providemeans for removing dirt while the fibers are in web form.Furthermore,-while cotton slivers are intentionally drafted toparallelize the fibers therein in equipment known as drafting frames,such drafting functions only to an incidental minor extent, if at all,to clean the fibers since the debris in the sliver has no way to escapedue to the thickness of the sliver.

It is impractical to try to remove dirt, undesirable short fibers, andother trash from cotton fiber aggregates or cotton after it is formedinto a sliver because the entangled fibers that make up the aggregatesand the mass of cotton that makes up a sliver hold the dirt and shortfibers too securely and will not permit them to fall out, regardless ofthe external forces applied.

Because of the fact that cotton fiber aggregates and cotton slivers aredifficult to clean, it was determined that it would, be desirable toclean the fibers in some stage between the time it is in the aggregateform and the time it is in the sliver form. Between these stages it hasbeen the practice in the industry to treat the cotton in a cardingcylinder whereupon the cotton is discharged in the form of a broad thinweb with the fibers parallelizedto some extent. This web is subsequentlyprocessed through a trumpet to form a sliver. While the cotton is in webform the web is very thin so that any debris or undesirable short fiberspresent therein are necessarily close to the surface and easily removed.However, the fact that the web discharged from the carding cylinder isthin makes it easily torn or damaged by any previously known clean ingprocess, and treatment of the web for cleaning purposes at this stagehas heretofore been unsuccessful in the industry.

Accordingly, this invention discloses cleaning cotton fibers in a whollynew manner in a cotton treating process which comprises vibrating cottonin the form of a web, to shake debris and short cotton fibers away fromthe web, stretching or drawing out the web as it is vibrated and suckingthe debris and short fibers vibrated from the web from the vicinity ofthe web. The web is vibrated in a direction perpendicular to its planeand stretched longitudinally of its path of travel in the process sothat the forces exerted thereon by the vibrations tend to cause thedebris and short cotton fibers throughout the length and width of thevibrated span of the web to be propel-led away from the web. If theinitial vibration does not function to immediately loosen the debris andshort fibers, subsequent vibrations and gradual drawing out of thefibers will tend to work the short fibers and debris loose from the webso that they will be subsequently discharged from the web.

The present invention involves the use of fluted rolls arranged in pairsand with the fluted rolls of each pair being closely associated witheach other so that the rotation thereof causes the lands or teeth of onefluted roll to mesh with the lands or teeth of another fiuted roll. Thecotton web is passed between a pair of fluted rolls and the land ortooth of one fluted roll causes the web of cotton to be received in thegroove of the opposite fluted roll so that rapid rotation of the pair offluted rolls causes the web of cotton to vibrate rapidly as it entersand exits the pair of fluted rolls. Also, each succeeding pair of flutedrolls rotates at a faster rate so that the cotton web is drawn out tobecome progressively thinner between the pairs of fluted rolls. Thedrawing out and vibrating of the web atthis stage improves the qualityof the web so that when it is run through the trumpet in the process, asliver is formed that requires less drawing out to align and clean thefibers to meet the standards of Superior Carded Yarn, and to qualify asCombed Yarn the combing process can even be eliminated.

While it is true that the primary purpose of the fluted roll is tovibrate, shake and stretch or draft the web as it passes through them sothat artificial trash, debris and undesirable short fibers are removed,it should be recognized that an additional objective is attained which.lddS tremendously to the total value of the operation, that a superiorparallelization of fibers is attained as the web is acted upon by thefluted rolls.

Heretofore parallelization of fiberous carded stock has been obtained ondrawing frames by passing through pairs of rollers several slivers-theproduct of cards. These slivers are stretched or drafted andparallelization results. However, slivers contain many fibers in arather bulky state and difiiculty is encountered in making the majorityof fibers lie parallel with each other and in making the rolls act onthe fibers uniformly.

In the machine hereinafter disclosed, the web acted on by the rollscontains separately disentangled fibers very loosely tied together andit can easily be seen that the drafting or stretchingaction of thefluted rolls acts on each of the individual fibers, the result beingthat many more of the fibers lie parallel than is the case when bulkymasses of fibers such as slivers are drafted cr stretched. Tests showthat subsequent drawing frame operations for the purpose ofparallelization can be substantially reduced or even eliminated inprocessing cotton treated by this invention.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a method andapparatus for rapidly, economically and efiiciently drawing out andcleaning cotton.

It is another object of this invention to provide a :method andapparatus for vibrating a moving web of cotton at the ends of a span offree travel of the web so as to impart a motion to the web which causesdirt, debris and undesirable short cotton fibers to be discharged fromthe web.

It is another object of this invention to provide a method and apparatusfor drafing or drawing out a web of cotton in a manner which causes theweb to be vibrated as it is progressively drawn out so as to align thefibers and to remove any dirt, debris and undesirable short cottonfibers from the web.

Numerous other objects, features, and advantages of the presentinvention will be apparent from consideration of the followingspecification, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a schematic elevational view of the typical type apparatus inwhich this invention can be utilized;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view, in cross section, of two adjacent pairsof fluted rolls, showing how the rolls act on the cotton web;

FIG. 3 is an end View of the bearings for the pairs of fluted rolls,showing the drive means;

FIG. 4 is an end view of the bearings for the pairs of fluted rolls fromthe side opposite from FIG. 3, showing the method of synchronizing thefluted roils of each pair.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, a systemin which thepresent invention may be used comprises a lickerin 10, a cardingcylinder 12, flats 14, a doffer 15, a comb 16, an air suction device 17,a series of fluted drafting rolls 18, a trumpet 19, a pair of calenderrolls 20, and a barrel 21. The cotton from the bale (not shown) is fedto the lickerin 1t and passed by the lickerin to the carding cylinder 12and its flats 14 in a conventional manner. The doifer 15 retrieves thecotton web 25 from the carding cylinder 12 and feeds it to the draftingrolls 18 where it is cleaned and drawn out, and the air suction device17 removes most of the short cotton fibers and light debris vibratedfrom the web, while some short fibers and the heavier debris fall to thefloor.

As is best shown in FIG. 2, the cotton web 25 is pulled into theplurality of fluted drafting rolls by the first pair of fluted draftingrolls 22 and 23. The fluted drafting rolls are slightly wider than theweb 25 and each have a series of lands or teeth 28 and 24, respectively,and grooves 29 evenly spaced around their circumferences. The flutedrolls of each pair are arranged so that when the rolls are rotated, theywill be rotated in opposite directions so that the teeth of one rollwill pass between the teeth of its opposite roll, within the groovesthereof. The teeth and grooves of one roll, however, do not come intocontact with the teeth and grooves of the opposite roll. For instance,the fluted roll 22 rotates in a counterclockwise direction while thefluted roll 23 rotates in a clockwise direction. The teeth 24 of theroll 23 pass between the teeth 28 of the roll 22 such that the grooves29 of the roll 22 receive the teeth 28. With this arrangement, it can beseen that the cotton web 25 would be forced to take a circuitous pathwhen passing between the rolls 22 and 23, and the circuitous pathtogether with the action of the closely disposed fluted drafting rollscauses the cotton web to be drawn into the rolls by the rotation thereofdue to the frictional engagement of the rolls 22 and 23 with the cottonweb 25.

After the cotton web 25 passes between the rolls 22 and 23, it is fed toa subsequent pair of rolls, such as rolls 26 and 27, which aresubstantially identical to the first pair of rolls 22 and 23. Thefunction of the second pair of rolls 26 and 27 is the same as thefunction of the first pair of rolls 22 and 23 in that the cotton web 25is drawn into the rolls due to the frictional contact of rolls 26 and 27with the cotton web 25.

As the drafting rolls 22 and 23 rotate, the teeth of one roll mesh withthe teeth of its opposite roll, as exemplified by tooth 28b, in such amanner that, when the tooth 28b reaches a point where it is exactlybetween the two fluted rolls 22 and 23, it deeply penetrates the groove29 between the teeth 24a and 24b of the fluted drafting roll 23. As thecotton web is initially drawn between the fluted drafting rolls, itremains in its initial state as it is first engaged between the teeth asshown at 30, however, as the teeth penetrate more deeply into thegrooves, the cotton web is progressively stretched as shown at 31, untilthe teeth are exactly between the fluted rolls, whereupon the cotton webis stretched to its furthest extent as shown at 32. As the teeth beginto withdraw from the grooves 29, the tension imparted to the drawncotton web is somewhat relieved and the cotton web leaves the pair offluted drafting rolls in a somewhat elongated condition.

Referring now to FIG. 3, each of the fluted drafting rolls rotates on anaxle 35 which is mounted in bearings 36. The bearings 36 are disposed sothat the axles 35 are parallel with one another and means (not shown)are provided for making small adjustments to the axles to maintain theaxles of each pair of rolls in an exact parallel disposition and tomaintain the rolls of each pair at a prescribed distance from eachother.

The lower axle of each pair of rolls has a pulley, such as pulleys 38,39 and 40, attached thereto. The axle 35 to which pulley 28 is attachedalso has pulley 4 1 at= tached thereto which is engaged by a motordriven belt 42. Pulley 39 is slightly larger than pulley 38, and pulley49 is slightly larger than pulley 39. Each of the pulleys is driven by acommon driving belt 44, of the type generally referred to as a timingbelt, so that a pre-determined relationship between the driven pulleyscan be maintained. Since the pulley 38 is smaller in diameter than thepulley 39, it can be seen that the belt 44 driven by the pulley 38 willcause the pulley 39 to rotate at a slower rate of speed than the pulley38. Similarly, the pulley 40 will be driven at a slower rate of speedthen the pulley 39. Accordingly, the fluted drafting rolls driven byeach of the pulleys will be driven at a rate of speed corresponding tothe rate of speed of its driving pulley.

With this arrangement, when the cotton web 25 fed to the fluted rollsdriven by the pulley 40 reaches the fluted rolls driven by the pulley39, it will be received at a faster rate of speed than it was receivedby the first fluted rolls. Thus, it should be understood that each sueceeding pair of fluted drafting rolls is driven at a higher rate ofspeed than its preceding pair, such that the cotton web is received at ahigher rate of speed as it passes through the plurality of fluteddrafting rolls 18.

An idler pulley 37 is positioned between the pulleys 38 and 39 so thatit bears on the timing belt 44 and insures that the timing belt 44frictionally engages the pulley 39.

Referring now to FIG. 4, the fluted drafting rolls each have a portionof their ends 45 and 46 beyond the edges of the web coated with chromiumsteel so that a uniform layer of chrome is present on all the teeth ofvthe rolls. With this arrangement the coated portion of the rolls of apair of rolls will contact each other when the teeth of the rolls meshwith each other so that the coated teeth will maintain the uncoatedteeth in an exact spaced relationship. Thus, the uncoated portion of thefluted draft- 111g rolls of each pair of rolls will be arranged so thatthe teeth of one roll will always project into the grooves of 1tsopposite roll without contacting the teeth of the opposite roll so thata predetermined space is maintained between the rolls at all times. Thisarrangement insures that the cotton web 25 which passes between theuncoated portion of the rolls will not be crushed by the teeth of therolls. Also, any cotton seeds in the web will not be crushed by theteeth of the rolls and the oils in the seeds will therefore not beliberated to wet the Web or rolls and have any detrimental effect on theWeb to inhibit the cleaning process.

Obviously, other methods of maintaining the rolls in spaced relationshipcan be utilized. For instance, the rolls can be formed with the fluteslarger at their ends or external gears can be used.

As is best shown in FIG. 2, as the cotton web 25 leaves the fluteddrafting rolls, the teeth of the rolls cause certain vibratory movementin the cotton web. As the tooth 28d is withdrawn from its relatedgroove, the cotton web is allowed to be drawn by the subsequent pair offluted drafting rolls so that it is supported by the tooth 240 of thefluted drafting roll 23. The tooth that is last to engage the span ofthe web that is leaving a pair of fluted rolls, and the tooth that isfirst to engage said span entering the next pair of fluted rolls imparttheir velocity characteristics to that end portion of the span engagingeach tooth thus creating a vibration of the span. Since the tooth 240 istraveling in a generally downward movement in its clockwise rotation, itcan be seen that as long as that tooth supports the cotton web, it willhave a downward component of velocity. However, when tooth 240 no longerengages the cotton web, the tooth 280 will impart its velocitycharacteristics to the cotton web, and since its counterclockwiserotation has a component of velocity which is directed upward, thecotton web will accordingly have an upward component of velocity. Sincethe cotton web 25 follows generally the velocity characteristics of theteeth of the engaging fluted rolls, it can be seen that a vibratorymotion will be imparted to the cotton web on either side of the pairs ofthe rolls. This vibratory motion is desirable in that any dirt remainingin the cotton web at this point will be vibrated out of the web.

Operation As the cotton web 25 is sent to the first pair of the seriesof fluted drafting rolls 18, the intermeshing teeth of the rolls receivethe web and force it down into the grooves 29 between the teeth. As thecotton web is forced into the grooves, the frictional engagement of theteeth with the web causes the web to be stretched or drawn out so thatthe dirt enmeshed in the Web will tend to separate from the fibers. Asthe cotton Web leaves the first pair of rolls, a vibratory motion isimparted to the span of web between the first pair of rolls and thesecond pair of rolls by the teeth of the first pair of rolls disengagingthe web 25 and also by the teeth of the second pair of rolls engagingsaid web. The vibratory motion set up in the web causes the dirt drawnout between the first pair of rolls to be separated from the mass of theweb during its span between the pairs of rolls.

As each subsequent pair of rolls operates at a higher rate of speed thanthe preceding pair of rolls, the slack in the web that might be causedby lengthening the web between the rolls is taken up by the rolls ofeach succeeding pair. Also, it is desirable to further draw out thecotton web between the pairs of rolls to further loosen the dirt andalign the fibers so that the web can be maintained relatively tautbetween the pairs of rolls to enhance the vibration, drawing out andcleaning of the web. Accordingly, each of the subsequent pairs of rollsoperates at a speed slightly faster than necessary merely to receive thelength of cotton web discharged by a preceding pair of rolls. In otherwords, the speed of each subsequent pair of fluted drafting rolls isadequate, not only to receive all the cotton web discharged from apreceding pair of rolls, but also to draw out and lengthen the cottonweb in its span between each pair of rolls. Since the web and fluteddrafting rolls are oriented in a horizontal plane, it can be seen thatthe vertical vibratory motion imparted to the web by the rolls willcause a portion of the shorter fibers and lighter debris to be removedupwardly of the Web. Ordinarily, some of these lighter elements mightfall back on to the web and eventually be carried on into the trumpet19, however, a suction device 17 is placed vertically above the web 25in the vicinity of the rolls 18 so that the majority of these lighterelements removed from the web are carried away without settling backonto the surface thereof.

While the invention has been dis-closed as comprising a series of pairsof fluted drafting rolls of the same size, and subsequent pairs of rollsrotating at a higher speed than each preceding pair of rolls, it shouldbe understood that in some instances it might be desirable to employpairs of fluted rolls varying in size, with each subsequent pair ofrolls being of larger size than its preceding pair of rolls, and eachpair of rolls rotating with the same angular velocity. With thisarrangement, the equal angular velocity of each pair of rolls wouldcause the succeedingpair's of rolls to pull in more cotton web than thepreceding pair of rolls discharged. Thus, with each pair of dissimilarlysized rolls having the same number of teeth thereon, with the largerrolls having larger teeth, it can be seen as is shown in FIG. 2, thatthe same teeth will simultaneously engage the span of cotton webextending between the pairs of rolls on each revolution of adjacentpairs of rolls. For instance, the tooth 240 will engage the span betweenthe pairs of rolls each time the tooth 26a engages said span.Accordingly, if the adjacent pairs of rolls are properly oriented, theteeth on the first pair of rolls that impart a downward component ofvelocity to the span of material can be timed to act on the material atthe same time the teeth on the subsequent pair of rolls impart adownward component of velocity. For instance, the tooth 240, whichimparts a downward component of velocity to the span of materialextending between the pairs of rolls, would act on the span at the sameinstant that tooth 26a imparts its downward component of velocity on thespan of cotton web.

With this arrangement, it can be seen that both ends of the span ofcotton web will be vibrated at its ends in the same general direction,viz., upwardly or downwardly, so that the effect on the span of cottonweb between the rolls will be to impart a predetermined vibrationthereto. This arrangement allows the operator to run the plurality offluted drafting rolls at such a speed that a harmonic vibration can beset up in the whole length of the span of cotton Web. This motion isdesirable as opposed to having the ends of the span move in oppositedirections since movement in opposed directions at the ends of the spanmight cause the span to feel the vibratory effect only at its ends nearthe rolls as illustrated at the left side of FIG. 2, while simultaneousmovements in the same direction at the ends of the span cause the spanto feel the vibratory effect throughout its length as illustrated at theright side of FIG. 2. Such a vibration has been found to be extremelyeffective in removing the dirt from the cotton web and in drawing outthe cotton web. Also, with such a vibration, smaller vibratory amplitudeis required which results in utilizing smaller teeth in the fluteddrafting rolls.

Since the portions of the rolls acting on the web do not come intocontact with each other, it can be seen that there is no single positivepoint of contact of the web and the rolls as it might be if the rollswere of a cylindrical configuration and crushed the web therebetween.Thus, there is no single point of release of the web from one pair ofrolls to a subsequent pair of rolls so that the effect of the pairs ofrolls on the Web is to gradually gather the web and gradually releasethe web as it passes between each pair of rolls. Furthermore, themeshing of the uncoated portion of the teeth of the pairs of rolls isloose enough so that the web is not rigidly held even at the deepestpenetration of the teeth of one roll into the grooves of another roll.The net effect of this arrangement is that if a particularly tautportion of cotton web passes between the series of pairs of rolls whichdoes not stretch as readily as the system is designed for, the tautportion of the Web is gradually gathered by the teeth, graduallyreleased from the teeth, and even pulled through the teeth by thesubsequent faster pair of rolls or the previous slower pair of rolls sothat there is never any abrupt stretching of the web which tends tocause a breaking down of the web arrangement of the fibers.

The present invention has been disclosed as specifically showing onlyadjacent pairs of fluted drafting rolls, however, it should beunderstood that any number of drafting rolls could be employed at theoption of the manufacturer, and the plurality of fluted drafting rollscan be positioned at any number of points in the cleaning process, or ina process other than that exemplified herein. Furthermore, it should beunderstood that while a particular tooth formation on the fluteddrafting rolls has been disclosed in this description, or any number oftooth formations 7 might be employed without departing from the scope ofthis invention.

Because of the improved drawing out and cleaning function of the flutedrolls 18, the fibers of the sliver emitted from the trumpet 19 arecleaner and more perfectly aligned than in any other known process andit has been found that when a sliver treated by this invention has beenprocessed through a single drawing process the product is equivalent tothe currently known Superior Carded Yarn. This effectively eliminatesthe previous necessity of twice drawing out the sliver to attainSuperior Carded Yarn. Furthermore, when a sliver treated by thisinvention is subjected to two drawing processes, the product isequivalent to the currently known Combed Yarn. This produces a highquality product while eliminating the slow process of combing the yarn.

Because of its simplicity, this invention costs less to manufacture andmaintain, and can be operated at speeds never attained before in themanufacture of yarn.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that many othervariations can be made in the embodiments chosen for the purpose ofillustrating the present invention Without departing from the scopethereof as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed as invention is:

1. An apparatus for cleaning a carded fibrous web comprising means forconducting a carded fibrous web along a path from a carding operation toa condensing operation and web treating means arranged along said pathto oscillate said web in a direction substantially normal to said pathand also draft said web whereby trash initially entrained within saidweb becomes dislodged and separated as said web moves along said path.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the web treating meansincludes at least one pair of cooperating rolls arranged to receive saidcarded fibrous web therebetween, each roll of said pair having aplurality of flutes defining alternating grooves and radially extendingprojections forming its peripheral surface all of which are generally inalignment with the rotational axis of said roll, said pair ofcooperating rolls being arranged in such a manner that the flutes of oneroll intermesh with the flutes of the other roll, and means to drivesaid rolls in opposite rotational directions whereby said carded web isdrafted as it passes through said intermeshed flutes and is continuouslydeflected in an oscillatory manner from said path as it enters and exitsfrom said pair of cooperating rolls.

3. An apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the radially extendingprojections extend a substantial distance into the oppositecorresponding grooves as said flutes 3 of one roll become intermeshedwith said flutes of the other roll.

4. An apparatus according to claim 3 wherein there is a series ofsuccessive pairs of said cooperating rolls arranged along said path witheach successive pair of rolls in going from the carding operation to thecondensing operation having driving means for being driven at a fasterrate than the previous pair of rolls.

5. An apparatus according to claim 4 wherein vacuum means are providedadjacent said series of successive pairs of rolls for collecting trashwhich becomes disloged and separated from said carded fibrous Web as itpasses along said path.

6. A method for cleaning a carded fibrous web comprising the steps ofconducting a carded fibrous web along a path from a carding operation toa condensing operation, oscillating said web in a directionsubstantially normal to said path and drafting said web while said webis'being conducted along said path to thereby dislodge and separatetrash which is initially entrained within said web.

7. A method according to claim 6 wherein said Web is periodicallyoscillated and drafted along said path, said drafting taking place atalternate periods from said oscillation.

8. A method according to claim 6 wherein said web is periodicallyoscillated and substantially continuously drafted along said path.

9. A method according to claim 6 wherein said oscillation of said web ismechanically induced.

10*. A method according to claim 6 including the additional step ofapplying vacuum to said web during said oscillation and drafting.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,077,283 4/1937Taylor et al. 19263 2,260,130 10/1941 Armstrong et al 19-258 3,003,19510/1961 Varga 19-67 3,145,425 8/1964 Varga 19106 FOREIGN PATENTS 458,6878/1949 Canada. 1,351,601 12/1963 France.

320,761 10/ 1929 Great Britain.

988,728 4/ 1965 Great Britain.

ROBERT R. MACKEY, Acting Primary Examiner.

MERVIN STEIN, Examiner.

I. C. WADDEY, Assistant Examiner.

6. A METHOD FOR CLEANING A CARDED FIBROUS WEB COMPRISING THE STEPS OFCONDUCTING A CARDED FIBROUS WEB ALONG A PATH FROM A CARDING OPERATION TOA CONDENSING OPERATION, OSCILLATING SAID WEB IN A DIRECTIONSUBSTANTIALLY NORMAL TO SAID PATH AND DRAFTING SAID WEB WHILE SAID WEBIS BEING CONDUCTED ALONG SAID PATH TO THEREBY DISLODGE AND SEPARATETRASH WHICH IS INITIALLY ENTRAINED WITHIN SAID WEB.